How To Organise Your Garage

Photo: Brett Stevens

1/09/2016 8:28:37 AM

It’s easy to think of your garage as a dumping ground – it’s not technically a part of your home and guests rarely see inside. But your garage is a great space for storage or even a man cave. Here’s how to organise your garage so it’s tidy yet functional.

1. DON'T BE A HOARDER Start by proving to yourself you are not a hoarder. Prioritise your valuable space and de-clutter. Timing your clean out to coincide with a council clean-up day is a great idea, but don’t use that as an excuse to hold off! Another option is to earn some extra cash by selling your stuff on ebay or having a garage sale.

2. Group Things Together Now it’s time to group like products. This will help you figure out how to best use the space you have. Some things to consider: should you add in shelving, how much space do you need for the car, and how will you be using the garage (do you need a clear bench for tinkering).

3. LABEL EVERYTHING Purchase a label maker. Identify each storage container and also allocate and label zones e.g. gardening equipment, sporting equipment. That way everyone in the house knows what goes where.

4. HANG THINGS UP Make use of your wall space by using magnetic strips to hang tools, or attach sturdy hooks to studs in the wall or ceiling for hanging your bikes.

5. CATEGORISE YOUR ITEMS Categorise items into labelled containers that are stackable to maximise shelf and storage space. Small bits and pieces like nails and screws are a great place to start. Use clear containers so you can see what is inside.

6. STORE THINGS SAFELY If you are storing paint, chemicals, cleaning products and other potential hazardous products consider installing a lock up cupboard or cabinet to keep these out of reach of children. Or hide them on a high shelf.

7. INSTALL SHELVING Install solid shelving to store heavy items, and make sure they are installed into wall studs.